Wednesday, January 09, 2013

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Wednesday, January 09, 2013     I Encounter an Adulterous Woman        

Page 159      John 8:1-11

Many years ago I was preparing to serve as the spiritual director on a weekend retreat. Our text for today, the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery was the theme for the retreat. I recall going to one of my favorite bibles (New English Bible, 1962) to read the text, only to find it wasn’t there. Chapter 8 began with Jesus saying “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12 NEB). I kept looking and found the episode added as an addendum at the end of the Gospel of John. Most modern Bibles insert the episode at the beginning of chapter 8 and add a note stating that ancient Greek manuscripts do not include the first eight verses of Chapter 8. I am not sure when the episode first appeared in scripture, whether at the beginning of Chapter 8, or in other places, but the episode is entirely consistent with Jesus as portrayed in all four Gospels, and I have no doubt the story is authentic.

In today’s passage, the religious leaders manufacture an incident in an attempt to paint Jesus into a corner. Would Jesus condone sin and thus prove he is not the Messiah, or would he side with the law and risk alienating the masses. Jesus chose neither option. Instead he demonstrated that as the Messiah, he did in fact have the wisdom of a true King. (Like that of King Solomon when he famously settled the issue between two women of who was the true mother of the child. (1Kings 3: 16-28)

When Jesus told the woman he did not condemn her, he was saying he forgave her. He was not saying her sin did not matter. He was saying his grace was greater than her sin. To receive his grace, and to live in his grace, meant that she would go forth with an ambition to sin no more.

The British historian Lord Acton noted that, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” He could easily have picked Chapter 8 in John’s Gospel to prove his point, as Chapter 8 begins with the religious leaders wanting to stone to death a woman and ends with these same religious leaders wanting to stone Jesus to death. This also proves the Apostle Paul’s point that all people are under the power of sin. (Romans 3:9)  Of course we could also look at our own national politics where ruling parties do all in their power to malign and destroy their opposition, but that would be like shooting fish in a barrel.

But before we begin to feel a bit smug because we’re not among the ruling class, let us remember that all people include us. (Pogo keeps getting it right when he said, “We have met the enemy... and he is us") We could have been among those condemning the woman. Ever wonder if you would have dropped your stone?

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

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The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Thursday, January 10, 2013        I Was Sent by My Father  

Page 159-161         John 8:12-59